“Like the best mimics, Leguizamo administers large but precisely calibrated doses of exaggeration to make his impersonations pop...At their best, his jokes get at something deep...If only the character at the center of this frenetic one-man show were as convincing...The physical comedy, often verging on dance, is priceless...But the family drama remains, rickety and unconvincing...’Latin History for Morons’ would be richer if he didn’t try so hard to make something so awful so funny.”
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“A history lecture delivered by the class clown, with the pleasures and limitations that entails…An energetic journey through Latin America’s past, with plenty of time set aside for jokes, full-throttle dancing, and a narratively convenient plot…The history he offers is often junky, but rigor is hardly his goal. At the risk of ‘compliment-sulting’ him in the style of his Latin mom: The show’s shortcomings are part of its message and, in a way, its appeal.”
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“It’s a sobering education, but ‘Latin History’ is never a slog...Leguizamo keeps us laughing all the way through...A first-rate mimic...Leguizamo has a lot of value to share and an overflow of charm to share it with. He could have used a slightly more rigorous editor: certain devices start to feel overused...And the show’s emotional plot veers towards the predictable and sentimental. But such foibles feel minor relative to ‘Latin History’s’ abundance of humor and heart.”
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"The audience was charmed by his impersonations and cheered his resentments...This is meant to be more than merely entertaining; we are supposed to shed moronic ignorance. Do we? It turns out that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing...It might be poor critical manners to so solemnly respond to a show that so many enjoy so much, but surely not even mock professors would want this show’s title to allude to them."
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“Leguizamo interweaves his own story with a hilarious retelling of the advances and destruction of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations, and the rise of modern Latin culture...There are visual aids, many jokes and a sober mission at work, all effectively pushed to the max...The conclusion of this rich entertainment isn’t what you expect - Leguizamo’s genius rests in part in his ability to continually surprise us – which makes it all the more satisfying.”
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“The show is fast-paced, funny, foul-mouthed, insightful and, on the down side, occasionally cringe-worthy...Amid the commentary Leguizamo slips in and out of Spanish, busts out dance moves and apes accents of friends, family, and famous figures. Leguizamo is a terrific mimic..Still, doing voices of a deaf relative and scientist Stephen Hawking...turned out to be buzzkill. But the same lines would work simply in his own voice — it’s an easy edit.”
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"Taccone does the only thing a self-respecting director should do. He gets out of the way...Most of the rant is frantic and funny...As dotty as his anecdotes, ad libs, history lessons, and other examples of higher learning are, it’s even more hysterical to watch him tell them....When it ends, you don’t know a thing about Latin History 101, but you do feel a little more like a moron."
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“This production is a sobering expression of political urgency that reflects its star’s maturation as a Latino public figure...He demands involvement from the crowd — and brings enough empathy and passion to earn it...Boisterous and joyful but also laced with sorrow, with Leguizamo beautifully communicating feelings of invisibility, inherited trauma, and even grief...The way he fights to reclaim his identity in such a fraught era feels cathartic."
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